Zurita, et al. (2001): Functional recovery in chronic paraplegic rats after co-grafts of fetal brain and adult peripheral nerve tissue

[Wise Young]

• Zurita M, Vaquero J, Oya S and Montilla J (2001). Functional recovery in chronic paraplegic rats after co-grafts of fetal brain and adult peripheral nerve tissue. Surg Neurol. 55 (5): 249-54; discussion 254-5. Summary: BACKGROUND: In recent years, experimental studies have sought some type of functional improvement in traumatic paraplegia by transplanting neural tissue into the injured spinal cord. The aim of this work is to study the possibility of functional recovery in chronic paraplegic rats after co-transplantation of fetal cerebral tissue and adult peripheral nerve tissue. METHODS: Seventy adult female Wistar rats were subjected to spinal cord injury at the T6-T8 level, causing complete paraplegia. Three months later, in 50 rats (grafted group) the injured spinal cord tissue received a graft of fetal brain cortex associated with crushed adult peripheral nerve. All the animals (grafted and control groups) were subjected to daily rehabilitation procedures from the first week after the injury, and evaluated weekly for motor and sensory recovery. Statistical analysis of different behavioral data between control and grafted animals was performed using the Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA and the nonparametric Wilcoxon test. RESULTS: Between 8 and 12 months after transplantation, progressive signs of functional recovery were observed in the grafted animals, associated with an increase in muscle mass in the lower extremities, findings that were significantly different from those in nongrafted animals (p < 0.05). At this time, donor cerebral tissue is integrated into previously injured spinal cord and results in formation of bundles of nerve fibers that emerge from the area of the transplant and surround the spinal cord beneath the lesion. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed co-transplantation of fetal cerebral tissue and peripheral nerve tissue can be used to achieve anatomical remodeling and long-term functional recovery in rats rendered paraplegic as result of severe spinal cord injury. These findings support the possibility of functional recovery after chronic traumatic paraplegia. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?db=m&form=6&dopt=r&uid=11516457> Neuroscience Research Unit of the Mapfre-Medicine Foundation, Puerta de Hierro Clinic, Autonomous University, Madrid, Spain.

[This message was edited by Wise Young on September 23, 2001 at 10:04 PM.]

[Wise Young]

This paper was referred to earlier by another posting. The authors of this paper reported that they were able to get functional recovery when they transplanted fetal cerebral tissues and peripheral nerves combined. This is an interesting combination of cells that others have not tried before. the authors imply that these two types of tissues together may have a synergistic effect. Wise.

[Jeff]

That's a long time. Especially to keep those para rats alive. Wow - what a study. I hope the Russias and Taiwans of the world are paying attention. They could probably start human trials in six months vs six years for us. I'm still looking forward to the day when most of what these cell transplants do can be accomplished with a simple injection.